Champagne!

New Years is coming...is your champagne chilling?

I am in North Carolina skiing with my son on the anniversary of my "I do's!"

18 degrees, am I nuts? C-c-c-c-old, too many peeps. Crazy peeps, inexperienced peeps, kids wanting to go back to the cabin and one out of control snowboarder that took me out.

AM I EVER READY FOR SOME BUBBLY.

What's on your wish-list?

Do YOU have a wish-list?

My son's girlfriend's family (whom he will be with over Christmas and away from us for the first time, VERY sad for this mom) does an Amazon wish-list.

Since I want to add to my library AND am dying to read the latest, HOTTEST, design books,

I clicked on over and created one! Very easy to do.

So how do you know what has been purchased to make sure there are no duplicates? I wondered that as well, until I purchased a few for my son off of his list and went back to SEE what happened.

They are REMOVED from the list so no mistakes can be made. How clever is that? Of course the wish-maker has NO idea WHO may have wrapped it up for them!

Of course many of you know that there are an overwhelming abundance of "things" that can be purchased from Amazon.

So not only are some of the HOTTEST design books on my list but also something that will make my bicycle rides much more interesting.

I hope I do not need a MASTER'S degree to work the Garmin GPS for cyclists with heart rate monitor! It fastens right on the handle bars and will tell me all SORTS of good things!

And PINK is my VERY favorite good smelly lotion.
I prefer lotion over perfume as it stays on longer!

Entryway Perfection

This entry speaks to me.

The millwork is stunning. I love the contrasting dark with light. The wooden doors with two tones has "feel me" quality. The settee blends in so as not to distract from all the design elements. We are fortunate to have some great millwork in our home including transom windows, makes we want to paint.

TALK to me, what do you think?

What speaks to you?

I only wish the image was larger to take in the high ceilings.

Simple Tablescape

My decorations this season are very simple since DH and one son will not be home and the other son and I will be traveling.

I went to the fabric store and bought one yard of a sueded cotton and folded in thirds to make a runner and cut greenery from the yard.

placed pine cones and ornaments in this tall vase, added the candlesticks and tall tea light holders

plus two of the vases I made in the previous post

a bit of 'ice'

and battery operated lights

It looks so pretty at night with all of the candles lit, just hard to capture with my camera.

Why not take a little trip over to Susan at Between Naps and the Porch and see what others are doing on their tables? Another fun place to visit is Julia at Hooked on Houses for her holiday house tour.

Good Greens for Friends!

Every year I raid my yard for whatever evergreens I can find to make simple but fun arrangements that I can put all over my home and give to my friends.

you will need...

whatever evergreens are handy, here I have cypress, juniper and fir...

I like to use mason jars...

...and some festive wired ribbon

clean the stems...

arrange in the jar

add the ribbon

then place around your home.

Soon to come....how I used these on the DR table for a festive scape!

***Addendum!

If you do not have greens in your yard, go to the tree lots and ask for what they have trimmed from the trees...they will give it to you for no charge!

Christmas Decor

While growing up our Christmas decorations went up fairly late. I didn't know people actually got in the spirit the day after Thanksgiving until I was an adult. I still don't do that, but now is the time my mind starts "decorating" and soon, all will be put into place and be festive. Since I am still in the "gathering" phase I thought it would be fun to see what is already up for this season.

Southern Living

Magnolia leaves are plenty here in the south...love the creativity of the giant shell with the gold ornaments that compliment the vase beautifully.

Southern Living

Silver is my favorite and I am quite fond of the mercury glass that is so popular now. I have started my own collection to mix in with other silver pieces.

I love these images that Tracery Interiors (visit blog here) posted of some work they have done in Birmingham, AL. Simple but welcoming.

One would not think that in the south there would be so many beautiful evergreens. I enjoy so much going out into my yard and cutting different varieties to bring indoors. Tracery Interiors did such a spectacular job...

Horchow

Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles /Gretchen Edwards Designs

I love these white branches adorned with ornaments...makes quite a nice statement.

Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles/Gretchen Edwards Designs

Southern Living

Southern Living

Note the silver ribbon around the base of the candle mixed in with silver and hydrangeas.

Country Living

A home in Canada with the beauty of winter through the window, a simple vase with evergreens. (the puppy looks like my grand-dog Erma!)

Country Living

Country Living

I am just loving the apple green color for the season!

Country Living

I hope this sweet horse has her coat on! So tell me...what colors are you favoring this season? Do you like a fresh cut tree each year or one that lovingly gets put together each year? In the past we have gone and cut our own tree and when we cannot do that we support those that make a living growing trees. Snow is in the mountains nearby and cold is in the air...time to go make some hot chocolate!

Christmas Inspiration

Thanksgiving was lovely quiet, all the men were here, a treasure indeed. Now my thoughts are going to decorate and make festive, our home for Christmas.

I love the fragrance of winter evergreens,

perhaps with a mix of dried hydrangeas.

Have you ever experienced Christmas at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC?

Be sure and put on your 'top 10' list of "must do's". It is a wonder and a spectacular sight to see.

I enjoy seeing what others do, don't you? I took a look back to Christmas '08 to see what some bloggers did. Michelle Morelan of A Schematic Life.

A Christmas from Down Under, Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things.

Eddie Ross

Katie Denham of Katiedid

Linda at Lime in the Coconut

Southern Living Magazine

Mrs. Blandings

Valorie Hart the Visual Vamp

Ingela at Love your Homes (Sweden)

What do you like to do? Do the same things go in the same spot? I like to mix it up a bit. I also go through and purge of things I have not used in the last few. I did a 'big girl' tree the last couple of years and my sons wondered where all of their ornaments were. So, out they will come this year.